Bloomin' beautiful

Well the new challenge has stared over at Frilly and Funkie and the theme this time is A Summer Garden. There are some gorgeous pieces over at Frilly and Funkie to inspire you so make sure you hop across and have a look. Here is my make:

I admit to have struggled with this and when Steve suggested a hanging basket I decided to give it a go...I used dried marigold..a colour I can honestly say has never been a much used colour and I have to say I am feeling the love for it now!  I stared by using a papier mache cone and painting and colouring it using distress paints and satins. I added some patches of rock candy and when dry smudged paint and stain into the crackles.

Now for the inside...I stuffed the inside with some serviette, lightly dabbing the top one with ink in case any showed. Then for the flowers. I coloured them both sides with distress stain..and left to dry slightly. 

I then spritzed each with water, let it soften the card slightly, scrunched up crinkling the petals and left to dry overnight.

I then carefully unfolded and shaped each petal using a pokey tool and my fingers. Now for the centres and how to keep them in the basket! This proved a little tricky! In the base layer I threaded through some paper coated wire.

For the top 2 layers I added a mini gear and fastened these 2 layers together and then glued the top 2 layers into the bottom one..

I added the leaves on , die cuts inked up and the added some of the smaller flowers securing through cone. 

Some I glued on. Then the larger flowers wires were pushed inside and poked through serviette .

Finally I added some jump rings and chain to hang the basket. I doesn't look at all how I imagined! The products are listed below and there is still another week to be in with a chance to win a voucher to spend at Linda's lovely and jam packed boutique...remember you have to be in it to win it! So hop here to join in .x

Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Paint - Dried Marigold	Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Stain - Dried Marigold	Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Stain - Worn Lipstick	Ranger Distress Crackle Paint - Clear Rock Candy 4 oz size	Ranger Distress Crackle Paint - Clear Rock Candy
Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Shabby Shutters	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Peeled Paint	Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Stain - Bundled Sage	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Crushed Olive	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Mini Gears
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Long Fasteners	Sizzix Alterations Tim Holtz Tattered Florals Die	*Tim Holtz Sizzix Alterations Garden Greens Bigz Die	Bronze Jump Ring Set